Top Stories· August 16, 2026 at 11:00 a.m.
Astronomers Discover Potential Black Hole Star Emitting Energy Equivalent to 100 Billion Suns
Key takeaways
- Astronomers have discovered a potential black hole star named MoM-BH*-1
- The object emits energy equivalent to 100 billion suns
- The discovery could help explain mysterious red spots found by the James Webb Space Telescope
In a groundbreaking discovery, astronomers have found an object named MoM-BH*-1 that exhibits characteristics similar to stars but emits energy approximately 100 billion times more than what stars can produce through nuclear fusion. The findings are based on observations from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).
The object, which is as large as our solar system, appears red and glows bright in deep space. Researchers suspect it might be a black hole shrouded in an extraordinarily dense and luminous gas, a hypothesis they've dubbed 'black hole stars'.
In the JWST images, MoM-BH*-1 appears as one of the many bright, reddish spots found in the early universe. However, its unusual properties set it apart from other stars.
Part of its light abruptly disappears, an effect too intense to be explained by normal star behavior. Scientists believe that an enormous amount of extremely dense gas is absorbing that light.
The discovery could help address a mystery uncovered by the JWST: the frequent appearance of small red spots in the early universe whose origins remain uncertain.
